Credit: James Nature Pics, Shutterstock
Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside. Particularly when the specific stretch of seaside in question has just been crowned the most picturesque in its country. ‘Tis very nearly the season for sun, sea and sandcastles, folks – and so it’s time to start getting some summery shenanigans in the diary. And a picture-perfect plage that’s just been named the most beautiful in France seems like a pretty great place to start. Especially when it’s been revealed that it takes less time to get there from London than it does to get to Cornwall. Yes, really…
In preparation for the sunny season, ferry and cruise operator, DFDS, has been doing some research to uncover the finest French beaches. They analysed over 5000 Google reviews for beaches in France, searching for positive keywords like ‘clear water’, ‘picturesque’, and ‘tranquil’ and giving each beach a ‘sentiment score’ to locate the best ones of all. And the spot that came out as the king of the (sand)castle is a mere hop, skip, and ferry ride from the capital city.
Cap Blanc-Nez beach, Calais 
Credit: Alex Stemmer, Shutterstock
Nabbing the top spot as the most picturesque beach in France is Cap Blanc-Nez in Calais. Scoring a rather impressive score of 90.2, the sandy spot on the Calais coast managed to surpass the beloved likes of Nice and St Tropez to bag first place, offering a more peaceful alternative for sea-seekers.
Cap Blanc-Nez was praised for its towering cliffs, sprawling stretch of sand, and breathtakingly blue waters. Just a stone’s throw from the UK, on a clear day you can actually see the White Cliffs of Dover from across the channel. So, next time you’re in the mood for a day-out at the seaside; why not forget the likes of Cornwall or even Kent, and just head straight to Calais instead?
Getting to Cap Blanc-Nez beach from London
Believe it or not, you can reach the serene shores of Cap Blanc-Nez from the capital city in just over three hours by car. Non-drivers would need to hop on a train from London to Dover Priory, head to the Port of Dover, jump on the ferry (which takes less than 2 hours), and then Cap Blanc-Nez is a short journey from Calais. Easy peasy, right?